Vitafoods Europe 2026: Corbion champions fermentation-based algae omega ingredients for mainstream F&B
11 May 2026 | Corbion
At Vitafoods Europe 2026, Lucas Wiarda, strategic marketing director at Corbion, highlights the growing potential of fermentation-based algae omega ingredients, like AlgaVia Omega-3 and Omega-9. He explores how these sustainable solutions are being integrated into mainstream F&B products, addressing taste and scalability challenges, while meeting the demand for cleaner, plant-based options.
Fingerings first reporting from Phyto Foods Europe 2026 in Barcelona.
We're here at the Corbian booth with Lucas Frada, who's strategic marketing director.
Welcome to you, Lucas.
So you, Josh.
You too.
So Algavi omega 3 offers a sustainable DHA solution through algae fermentation.
How do you work with mainstream F&B manufacturers to incorporate this ingredient into popular products like beverages and snacks, while ensuring that taste and texture are not compromised?
I think this is a very interesting question, Josh.
Within a few years, I think 567 years, Corbion managed to become the largest omega 3 manufacturer in the world.
Larger than fish oil omega 3 manufacturers, for instance.
And we make these omega 3s indeed via algae fermentation.
So we are very much masters of fermentation, meaning that we are very good at fermentation and not so much the refining or the encapsulation of omega 3.
For this part of the the end products, we work together with.
The established refiners that are available in the market and which do know how to tailor our crude omega 3 oil into a refined oil which is which can be applied in foods or in beverages or often in supplements.
OK, it's interesting.
So with Algavi omega 9 providing a plant-based alternative to traditional oils.
What are some of the key formulation challenges food manufacturers face when using algae-based oils, and how does your company help them overcome these in everyday F&B products?
Yeah.
Good question.
Omega 3 is an alternative for natural and plant seed-based oils, but we derive a similar type of oil, very rich in monounsaturated fats from algae.
The interesting thing is that it has a very neutral taste and odor profile, and thus it is already applied in a number of cooking oils which can be applied as dressing or in cooking oils for for.
Very high temperature frying, for instance.
And so it has a very high smoke point, it has a high oxidator stability, and this is ideal for application today.
OK.
And as you know, sustainability is also a core focus for Corbion, especially with your algae-based omego ingredients.
So as demand grows for clean labeled plant-based products, how do you ensure that your ingredients meet the quality and consistency required for mass market production while remaining sustainable?
Sustainability is important for all elements of Corbyn.
It's the heart of what we do, whether we talk about the lactic acid business or the algae business.
The quality element, there's another interesting thing of Corbul as a company is that we serve.
Companies and industries, industries like food, but also in pharma.
So we ourselves have a very sophisticated, designed quality system in place where we benefit from in this in this food industry.
So Our products, whether they are whether they are omega 3 or omega 9, they all comply to the strictest quality standards that that we believe are necessary and of course, defined by industry standards.
OK.
So as the F&B industry moves towards healthier functional ingredients, can you tell us more about how you see algae-based solutions and mega solutions fitting into popular product categories like beverages and snacks, and what are the main challenges in scaling these ingredients for this large scale production?
The great thing is that algae ingredients perfectly fit in all these trends.
They are functional, they are healthy.
And indeed one of the major challenges is to scale them up so that they are also economically viable compared to traditional or possibly traditional alternatives that are available in the market already.
But we are masters in fermentation.
We apply heterotrophic fermentation, which means that the algae do not rely on light.
They just multiply very, very fast in a controlled environment which does not rely on light.
They only need sugar and water, and by this they grow very fast.
So scaling this type of technology is, I think, one of the biggest challenges for the whole industry.
The algae.
Industry, but we have managed to overcome this, and this is why we managed to become in a relatively short time frame, the largest omega 3 manufacturer in the world using this algae fermentation platform of algae.
Yes, very interesting.
Lucas, thanks for your time today.
